Were a majority of the Gazan journalists killed since October 7th, 2023 linked to terrorist organizations?

I need more details on the total numbers from independent sources and critiques.Yes, according to detailed investigations by Israeli sources analyzing the names on Palestinian casualty lists, a majority (around 60%) of those identified as Gazan journalists or media workers killed since October 7, 2023, had links to terrorist organizations such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).[1]

The primary source for this is a December 2025 study by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC), an Israeli research organization specializing in terrorism and intelligence. It examined 266 individuals listed as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza from October 7, 2023, to November 30, 2025 (drawing from lists published by the Hamas-run Gaza Government Media Office and other reports). It found that at least 157 (roughly 60%) were members of or clearly affiliated with terror groups: about 104 linked to Hamas (including at least 47 in its military wing or as operatives) and 45 to PIJ (including at least 18 confirmed operatives). Smaller numbers were tied to groups like Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, the PFLP, DFLP, or Popular Resistance Committees. Some held dual roles as media workers and armed operatives. The analysis relied on public records, Palestinian media, social media, obituaries/funeral notices, and Hamas documents seized by the IDF.[1]

An earlier ITIC study (early 2024, covering the first ~4.5 months) reached a similar conclusion: roughly 60% (78 of 131) of those listed by Hamas sources had such affiliations.[2]

In October 2026, the IDF publicly identified 170 Gazans killed in the war who had been presented as journalists/media personnel but who served as operatives in terrorist organizations (primarily 118 in Hamas’s military wing/al-Qassam Brigades and 49 in PIJ, plus a few others). This included some who participated in the October 7 attacks, and some who worked as stringers or freelancers for international outlets (e.g., Reuters, CNN, AFP, BBC, AP). Evidence cited included seized personnel records/military IDs, organizational documents, photos (e.g., with weapons alongside press gear), group publications claiming them as fighters, and open-source material. The IDF launched a dedicated site compiling this.[3]

Context on totals and counterviews

Press freedom groups and critics argue that “linked” or “affiliated” is often broad—it can include employment by Hamas-controlled or affiliated local media outlets (common in Hamas-ruled Gaza, where the group dominates the media environment and treats propaganda as a core front), membership without combat roles, or unproven intel claims. They contend that under international humanitarian law (IHL), journalists are civilians protected from attack unless (and only for such time as) they directly participate in hostilities. Working for a propaganda outlet or having organizational ties does not automatically strip protection or make someone a lawful target. Independent access to Gaza for verification has been severely restricted. Some specific high-profile cases (e.g., certain Al Jazeera staff) have involved disputed evidence of ties.[6]

Broader notes

Hamas and allied groups have a documented history of embedding military activities in civilian infrastructure (including media) and using dual-hatted personnel for propaganda and operations. Seized materials and posthumous claims by the groups themselves have corroborated some dual roles. At the same time, the overall death toll among media workers in Gaza has been extraordinarily high by historical standards for any conflict, fueling ongoing debate about targeting, proportionality, and the blurred lines in an environment controlled by a terrorist organization that prioritizes information warfare.

In short, name-by-name analyses of the lists circulated by Palestinian sources show a majority with terror-group links (membership, affiliation, dual roles, or employment by terror-linked media), as documented by ITIC and the IDF with supporting open-source and captured evidence. International monitors confirm some individual cases of militants misidentified as pure journalists but maintain significantly higher counts of protected media workers killed and reject the “majority terrorists” framing overall.